Progressive Hydraulic Failure

[Melchior]

Ah yes, I forgot to mention what exactly is lighting up. 3 red lights come on simultaneously:

(!)
STOP
What looks like a water level light about halfway down the central column of lights.

It has plenty of LHM and enough coolant. Coolant is not brimmed but is maybe 3-4 inches below the top of the filler neck on the radiator.

[RobC]

funny that both coolant and (!) light come on at the same time...

unless of course it's oil pressure! as far as i know the oil pressure light triggers ALL the red lights on the dash, apart from the handbrake and (i think) battery light - this is how it tests the lamps when you have the ignition on before starting the engine.

[Melchior]

Blimey you have got a point there, it does use a bit and I haven't checked it for a little while. I ignore the pressure/level gauge as it is all over the place. Will check oil tomorrow first thing.

I did a couple of videos:

Belt tension (I suppose you can't really tell from a video but maybe it gives you more knowledgeable guys some idea):
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STOP and other red lights (steering was heavy when doing this)
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[Dollywobbler]

When you operate the height lever, I think that's fairly normal. You've effectively depressurised the system and it takes a short while to pump it back up again. Not sure about earlier in the video though. That's quite odd.

[bx_pallas]

The 3 warning lights at 0:05 mean low engine oil pressure! Your engine oil pressure warning light blub itself is not working, but it always triggers the three red lights (hydraulic warning, "STOP", and coolant level) too. This is why you have all the red stuff on when engine stands still and ignition is on - there is no engine oil pressure.
The engine oil pressure warning light ist the one on the very left of the oil pressure scale (top left, inside the little red square).

At 0:47 it is signalling low hydrualic oil pressure (as described), whitch is not uncommon when the lever is set to high position. This one is harmless.

Don't confuse "low engine oil pressure" with "low hydraulic oil pressure"! Your hydraulics is fine, but you may want to check your engine oil level...

[Melchior]

Err, yes. Well, cough cough, get me coat and all that. I knew it likes a drink of oil but it must be much worse than I thought as it was exceedingly low. Filled it back up and sure enough, no more red light disco (got enough of that in Amsterdam already thanks).

Found some interesting rust under the rear seat just now and arrived home to a letter reminding me that the APK (Dutch MOT) is due 1st June. Hmmm...

Sorry about the mega thread hijack :-/